About

Operation Unfathomable

$21,756

pledged of $4,000 goal

519

backers

NEW STRETCH GOALS ADDED!

See below for details

A party of experienced adventurers led by the stalwart Prince Eyraen have stolen an artifact from Syantides, Sorcerer-King of Mur, and entered the Underworld on a mission of vengeance. That brave band is lost and presumed dead.
Perhaps a smaller, stealthier party can succeed where mighty heroes failed? You’d better hope so...

The Hydra Collective is proud to announce its second Kickstarter: OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE by writer and artist Jason (The Dungeon Dozen) Sholtis. Jason is expanding his critically acclaimed adventure from Knockspell #5, honed through hundreds of hours of playtesting, into a full-fledged mini-campaign! In addition to the expanded text, the Hydra Edition of OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE will feature new art by Jason and layout by award-winning designer Jez (A Red & Pleasant Land) Gordon.

An early sample of Jez Gordon's layout

From the author: "I wrote OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE originally to be a one-off adventure and for utility as a convention scenario. As such, the gloves were off both in terms of danger level for player characters and the campaign-changing potency of the enchanted treasures they might run off with. Going against my own advice, I used it to start a campaign.

Four years and hundreds of game-hours later, the campaign continues (and is still fun). As every DM knows, there is no substitute for play when it comes to breathing life into a setting. I believe the Underworld of OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE has that lived-in feel precisely because it has been explored extensively at the table and its secrets probed by a number of minds sharper than my own (I have awesome players).

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have."

- Jason Sholtis

OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE is an internally-consistent, gonzo funhouse that runs like a subterranean wilderness trek instead of a “down the 10 foot hall and kick in a door” affair. There are random elements aplenty to keep GMs guessing as well as players. No balanced encounters to be found here, but the clever setup allows low level characters to drop into the dungeon “deep end” and still have a chance of making it out alive—if they’re smart and wary.

Fractious Factions: Enter a crossroads of Underworld civilization where combat is only one of the options (and often not always the wisest!) for dealing with its denizens. The PCs can make a temporary truce with Blind Antler Men or forge an unlikely alliance with the minions of Nul the Mindless God!

Races, Weirdos and Chaos Godlings Galore: Over two dozen new creatures, from Batwinged Dwarfs to Shaggath Ka the Worm Sultan, malevolent...and even more malevolent!

Near-Endless Adventure: Enough NPCs, encounters, and areas to explore to keep a campaign going well beyond the initial scenario.

OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE is only the beginning. We've got a number of great stretch goals lined up:

$8,000: The Odious Uplands [UNLOCKED!] You’ve read about the Underworld, now plunge into the wilderness above it. Additional adventure awaits in Stonespear Province, Upper Mastodonia! Whether the players flee from titanoswine and saber-toothed apes to the relative safety of monster-proof Fort Enterprise or set out in search of the lost Chaos Converter atop Mount Impossible, The Odious Uplands offers a complete wilderness with over two dozen distinct areas to explore, each populated with unique creatures and characters.

Rumor has it a colossal ghost haunts the Fossil Forest, a locale in the Odious Uplands.

$15,000: Stefan PoagChapter Headers [UNLOCKED!] Nothing says weird fantasy role-playing like the art of Stefan Poag. You’ve seen his unique style in places like Dungeon Crawl Classics, now see it emblazoned on every chapter of OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE.

Dungeon Dozen: Jason's classic collection of d12 tables is available at $8 for PDF. (We sadly cannot offer print copies of Dungeon Dozen as an add-on, and print coupons will only be available to backers at the Underworld Ranger tier.)

Operation Unfathomable Player's Guide: Setting introduction, world map, new player options, and a four-page mini-comic by Jason Sholtis. $4 for the PDF, $5 for the at-cost print coupon from DrivethruRPG/RPGNow.

Completely Unfathomable: Both OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE and Odious Uplands in one hardcover. $18 for the PDF, $32 for an at-cost print coupon from DrivethruRPG/RPGNow.

Completely Unfathomable DCC Edition:OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE and the Odious Uplands, now with that Dungeon Crawl Classics flavor that you love. $18 for the PDF, $32 for the at-cost print coupon from DrivethruRPG/RPGNow.

Operation Unfathomable Illustration Booklet: The ultimate visual play aid for you Operation Unfathomable campaign. $5 for the PDF, $8 for the at-cost print coupon from DrivethruRPG/RPGNow.

Faction Tracker: Bring the chaos of the Odious Uplands alive with this handy set of rules and counters. $5 for the PDF.

Bewildering Images: The Art of Jason Sholtis: Personally curated by Jason himself, and beautifully designed by Jez Gordon, this is the definitive collection of Jason’s comic and RPG art. $12 for the PDF, $17 for the at-cost print coupon from DrivethruRPG/RPGNow.

IMPORTANT SHIPPING NOTE: Once the books are completed, an at-cost coupon from OneBookShelf will be sent out to backers who have chosen physical rewards. To receive your book, you will need to pay the at-cost price of the book and the shipping price (estimated at $4 for United States shipping, and $5-9 internationally.

Risks and challenges

The manuscript and the art for OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE have been completed. Editing is in process, and layout lies ahead.

Between the creators and the production staff, we've published a dozen indie rpg works. The Hydra Collective has the successful Slumbering Ursine Dunes Kickstarter under its belt, and we bring lessons learned from that experience to this campaign. We take deadlines seriously; we are proud to have delivered the main Slumbering Ursine Dunes adventure both PDF and print on time, and plan to do the same with OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE.

All that said, we're a small, hobbyist publisher with a small, part-time staff. Despite what steps we might take to mitigate them, delays are always possible. We will strive to be transparent and communicative with our backers throughout the process.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $40 or more
About $40

THE RED ANTI-CHAOS PILL

Get ready for a mega-dose with Operation Unfathomable and all the unlocked stretch goals in PDF, and an at-cost coupon from DriveThruRPG/RPGNow for the print edition of Operation Unfathomable. Backer must also pay for shipping.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $80 or more
About $80

UNDERWORLD RANGER

You, seasoned and expert explorer of the Underworld, will receive Operation Unfathomable and all the unlocked stretch goals in PDF, and an at-cost coupons from DriveThruRPG/RPGNow for the print edition for those same products. Backer must also pay for shipping.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

NUL PRIEST

Lose your mind when you receive Operation Unfathomable and all the unlocked stretch goals in PDF and print—with print editions personally signed by Jason Sholtis (instant collectors’ items) and shipping paid!